- So, What's This LDAP Stuff All About?
- Getting Started with Linux Server Software and Good Housekeeping
- Installing an LDAP Server in Ubuntu Linux
- Is the LDAP Server Running?
- Reconfigure the OpenLDAP Server
- Getting Comfortable with LDAP-Starting and Stopping the Server
- Using ldapsearch to Verify Correct Server Operation
- Populating the LDAP Directory
- Learning One new Thing Each Day
- Conclusion
Conclusion
LDAP is a relatively little-understood technology. In the old days, it was difficult to get access to LDAP servers, but this has changed. Nowadays, you can activate the LDAP server software that comes bundled with Linux distributions such as Ubuntu. This also gives you the opportunity to learn some Linux skills.
Good housekeeping demands that you should keep your Linux platform up-to-date by running the appropriate apt-get commands. The latter is a natural candidate for being run from some simple shell scripts—for example, using the cron utility.
If you follow a set of simple instructions, you can get an LDAP server running. The same is true for starting and stopping the server and testing its operational state. Populating the LDAP directory amounts to creating a text file and loading that file into the server.
So, after all this, do I think it's hard to deploy your own LDAP server? No! Virtualization tools such as VMWare Player and freely available Ubuntu Linux distributions can help make this a technology for everyone.
You definitely don't have to be a Linux guru to get started with LDAP technology. This is just part of acquiring new skills, moving up the value chain, and getting the most out of your computing experience.